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Wisdom, gazing on my flesh and on my soul
wept sincerely for that pair of wretches.
Your soul s an alien stranger here it told me
Do it a favour, pay it some care, for after all
your body s quite at home and can fend for itself.
To help a stranger - that s the flower of virtue,
the root of noble disposition. It takes
an idol-worshipper to decorate an idol -
ignore your body lest you fall into idolatry.
Watch where you re going, take care not to stray.
Can you imagine a troll and a fairy embracing?
Wee, your body s is a demon, your soul an angel;
brother, why is your angel naked and cold
when your demon parades around in mink?
In philosophic terms the body s garb
is accidental but the soul s is essential ;
cleanse your soul with fine bleach, the soap of religion
then robe it in the robe of knowledge
(for ignorance is the cause of unbelief).
In religion - science and sciences, fruit of the garden
of Prophecy - avoid that asininity
which is synonymous with irreligion.
The wiseman - he is far from ignorance
as from a disease for which the knowledge is the cure.
Surely Reason is better than sugar
for it cures the pain of baseness. Reason
in the path of faith guides to felicity
with far more accuracy than the Zodiac.
Will a flower stay fresh without water?
Only the Rose of Intellect! Speak and act
in that virtue which for you is the root
of all good fortune. The purpose of creation
is Man - all the rest is but trash -Man
who holds dominion over heaven and earth,
lord of discernment and noble intellect,
deliberation and eloquence. Do not turn your head
O Man! From Him Who gave you
all this greatness and sovereignty, or
from His Command. Pay Him by the coin
of obedience in gratitude for His gifts.
Gratitude is an angel, blessings a fine
plump partridge - only gratitude
wins the reward of blessing.
Give thanks to Him alone who buys
your words in the bazar of Paradise.
Work here below to gain a kingdom far beyond
which will not vanish nor pass away with time.
If God created you to be a king
why do you debase yourself with slaves?
Beneath the dome of creation all things
are subject to generation and corruption.
Seek you for Eternity. But do not scorn
this world like an ignorant fool, for she
has over you the rights of motherhood;
contemplate Him in His works, give praise
to Him Whose handiwork is glorious.
The wise dispute: what is to be found
beyond the realm of the revolving spheres?
A vast and verdant world wherein our realm
is smaller than a finger-ring. To him
tomorrow belongs that world who today
has patience in obedience. There no one
will hunger or thirst (a foolish notion, worthy
of the exoterists!) So what will they need
with wine, however with celestially delicious?
Beware the chatter of the rabble
if you incline to the way of Ali
but listen instead to the proofs of the PROOF
whose words are not idle nor vain.
The sword is in your hand
but do not slay
for God will recompense you
on that day;
the blade was no more forged
for the unjust
than grapes for outlawed wine
are pressed to must.
The Prophet Jesus, strolling
on a day,
found at his feet a man
slain on the way;
and in amazement, spoke thus
to the corpse;
Whom did you murder, that now
with such remorse,
yourself lie slaughtered in
the dusty lane?
By whom in turn shall he
who killed, be slain?
Don t spoil your knuckles knocking
at the gate
of strangers; and be spared
the blows of Fate.
Look with inward eye
at earth s hiddenness
for the outer eye
cannot see it.
Was it?
you noble folk
do not know the esoteric
but only the exterior.
It is the world
and you must bind it
in chains of iron
shackles of wisdom;
even if this globe
seems too wide, too loose
to be bound, two things
will do: knowledge and obedience.
Your body s a mine
your spirit the buried jewel
of these two treasured qualities
so exert yourself, body and soul.
The days of youth
were fleeting as dreams
whims and fantasies which
never abide.
Do you expect stability
from the heavens
when the sky itself
is rootless?
This world s a ladder
towards that world
so climb
to the top rung.
In the whirling dome
and unmoving earth
behold the craft and wisdom
of Him Who made the Invisible;
see how He has made
(undriven by Necessity)
the luminous soul a mate
in corpulent flesh.
Who has suspended magically
beneath the green cupola
of heaven this colossal globe
of uncertain grey?
How can you say this twirling sphere
will run down
when countless centuries
have passed?
He has not made
earth to die
nor the flow of water
nor the blowing winds to cease.
He is wise and made all
in wisdom and art
so do not whisper these words
but to the People of Truth
for it is not meet
to reveal the secrets
to every astray
and unbridled scoundrel.
Time and Space are the play
of the Divine Artisan
and thus know
no limits or bounds.
If you protest There s nothing
of this in the Qur an
I reply that you have not
read it very well;
the Qur an s a treasure
guarded by one to whom
God has given the rule
of all men and jinn.
The Prophet appointed him
under divine command
shepherd to the endless
flock of believers -
but you!
against that Chosen One of God
and Muhammad have referred
who s-it, What s-his-name & So-and-so.
You do not know
the meaning of the Qur an
because you have disobeyed
the spirit of the Qur an.
The Book is a table laid
with a spiritual feast -
tell me, reciter of the Book:
who is the host?
for only he who knows
the kind giver of the feast
can eat at this good table
and be blessed.
If you re truly human
that food will be made human flesh;
haven t you noticed that dogs
turn bread and water to dogmeat?
The greatest of Man, the Prophet
for that reason has banished
from his table the enemies
of his Household;
like fallen angels
these foes must stand
drylipped before the Euphrates
for their evil thoughts.
If you would be
a lover of the Family
you must (like Nasir) abondon
to the enemy your wealth;
do not regret
your riches
for they will not remain
in any case with Sultan or Khan.
What you lose of this world
you gain in religion
as much as you scorn your worldly loss
for the sake of the Hereafter.
You are a guest in another s house;
behave yourself
and do not act as if
it belongs to you.